Fun fact: Did you know Build-A-Bear Workshop was founded in 1997 in St. Louis, Missouri? What does that have to do with July’s ICEL meeting, you ask? Well, attendees at this year’s Credit Congress got to BUILD THEIR OWN Build-A-Bear—complete with an NACM T-shirt! Truthfully, I’m extra jealous I wasn’t there for that. Who doesn’t love Build-A-Bear?!

Alright, back to business! The ICEL panel featured April Tanner, CCE, Chris Lawrence, Krissy Aeschbacher, CBA, and Tyler Steenblik, CCE. They shared some great insights and experiences from this year’s Credit Congress. Here are a few of my key takeaways:

• The networking was a highlight! Everyone agreed that connecting with fellow credit professionals, meeting new people, sharing ideas, and experiencing the energy of the event were some of the best parts of Credit Congress. Attendees from prior years recommend using a rolling suitcase to haul your items instead of a backpack, wear comfy shoes, take your business cards for networking, and most importantly… get advice from locals on the best places to eat!
• Getting approval to attend next year! Build a budget, highlight the benefits of attending, and explain how Credit Congress can support your professional growth and education. NACM and past attendees are always happy to help you put something together to present to management.
• Not sure which classes to choose? Start by eliminating the ones you know you don’t want to take, review the class descriptions, talk with your management team, and consider what you want to learn or improve.
• Thinking about presenting? Krissy summed up her experience perfectly: “It was scary and it was awesome!” If presenting at Credit Congress is something you’re even slightly interested in, she highly recommends going for it!

Overall, July’s ICEL meeting gave us a fun glimpse into this year’s Credit Congress. And did I mention there was an expo booth where you could PLAY WITH PUPPIES?!

So, to wrap this up, if you missed Credit Congress this year like I did… WE MISSED OUT! But there’s always next year—and NACM is headed to Viva Las Vegas for Credit Congress 2027!

P.S. Keep an eye out for Early Bird Registration toward the end of 2026!